Lumbar Decompression Surgery

Lumbar Decompression Surgery

Lumbar Decompression Surgery

What is Spinal Decompression Surgery?

Spinal decompression is a type of surgery to relieve symptoms caused by pressure on the spinal cord and/or the nerves branching off from it. Pressure (compression) on the nerves or spinal cord can be the result of several factors including:

Bulging or herniated discs

Bony growths

Loosened ligaments.

Symptoms of Spinal Nerve Compression in the Low Back Include:

Pain in the low back, as well as in the buttocks and down the leg

Numbness or tingling in the buttocks, leg and foot

Weakness

Severe cases of nerve compression in the low back (lumbar region) can cause paralysis and problems with bladder and/or bowel function.

How is Spinal Decompression Surgery Performed?

There are several surgical procedures that can be performed to remove the pressure (i.e., decompress) on a nerve or spinal cord. Surgeons often utilize more than one of these techniques. If the spine is unstable, spinal fusion may be required in addition to decompression.

Discectomy: A portion of a disc that has herniated is removed to relieve pressure on the nearby nerves.

Laminotomy/laminectomy: These procedures which increase the size of the spinal canal are very similar. A piece of bone (called the lamina) around the spinal canal is either partially or totally removed.

Foraminotomy/foraminectomy: These procedures are very similar; they increase the amount of space around nerves as they branch off the spinal cord. A piece of bone and other tissues are removed to provide this space.

Corpectomy: This is a procedure to remove a large portion of a vertebra.

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